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Saturday, July 26, 2014

God is, in fact, a Mormon

I've noticed a post that has been going around social media, which I have read called "I don't think God is a Mormon". It brings up some good points; however, the title and post are only half the story. While it is true that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly known as Mormons) hold no monopoly on the truth, that doesn't mean we do not have it. God himself said that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased" (Doctrine & Covenants 1:30). Notice: TRUE and LIVING church upon the face of the whole earth. Many churches have truth, but the truths they've got have been watered down by false philosophies held to the same level as scriptures. The Lord said, "all their creeds [are] an abomination....they teach for doctrine the commandments of men" (JS-H 1:19). Elder Dallin H Oaks taught, "The fashionable opinion of this age is that all churches are true. In truth, the idea that all churches are the same is the doctrine of the anti-Christ, illustrated by the Book of Mormon account of Korihor (see Alma 30). That account was given to teach us a vital lesson in our day."It's not that other churches don't have truth, but rather they have falsehoods which detract from truth. If I were to bake an amazing Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, jam, biscuits, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and stuffing, but I added a tablespoon of toxic waste to everything, it would suddenly be something that would kill you rather than fill you. Sure, you might get enough to eat, and it may all taste wonderful, but in the end, it will kill you.So it is with the philosophies of men, it may seem harmless to change some doctrines of God such as His nature, the need for baptism, and the requirement of priesthood authority. But in the end, those doctrines will spiritually kill you. Meanwhile, the Church of God has always placed our trust in the scriptures. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "[A]lthough fools may have [the scriptures] in derision, yet they are calculated to make men wise unto salvation, and sweep away the cobwebs of superstition of ages, throw a light on the proceedings of Jehovah which have already been accomplished, and mark out the future in all its dreadful and glorious realities. Those who have tasted the benefit derived from a study of those works, will undoubtedly vie with each other in their zeal for sending them abroad throughout the world, that every son of Adam may enjoy the same privileges, and rejoice in the same truths.”(Joseph Smith)There is ONE way to Eternal Life. That is through the ordinances of the Everlasting Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ only made possible through the priesthood authority found on the earth. The lifeblood of the Church of God, whenever properly established are Baptism, Confirmation, Priesthood Authority, and the Temple ordinances. Only through these ordinances can men make it to greater heights and gain exaltation in the Celestial World.Through these ordinances, we learn the Celestial Law. "For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannotabide a celestialglory." (Doctrine & Covenants 88:22). No man can live the Celestial Law unless he learns Celestial Law, and no man can learn Celestial Law, except it be through the path God ordained.Bruce R McConkie taught, "There is no salvation in believing a false doctrine. Truth, diamond truth, truth unmixed with error, truth alone leads to salvation. What we believe determines what we do. No man can be saved in ignorance of God and his laws. Man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge of Jesus Christ and the saving truths of his everlasting gospel. Gospel doctrines belong to the Lord, not to men. They are his. He ordained them, he reveals them, and he expects us to believe them." (1 June 1980)This is the Church of Jesus Christ. Earth and Hell may rage against it, but truth is truth. God desires that all people come and partake of salvation only found through the ordinances of the priesthood, and to believe only that which will enable them to enter again into His presence. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only place where that can happen. For this reason, we realize that God is, in fact, a Mormon.